Oakland Raiders vs Houston Texans Preview

Terrelle Pryor #2 of the Oakland Raiders

By: Parker Ainsworth

The Oakland Raiders (3-6) come off back-to-back losses to hear some tough news. ESPN reports starting quarterback Terrelle Pryor (Ohio State), who currently leads the team in both passing (1559 yds) and rushing (504 yds), will have to miss this Sunday’s match up with the Houston Texans (2-7) due to a sprain in his right knee. Thus, undrafted rookie Matt McGloin (Penn State) will be under center this weekend. McGloin is used to stepping in at unexpected times, having gone from walk-on to starting quarterback at Penn State. But, with minimal NFL game experience, he faces the tough task of lining up against JJ Watt (Wisconsin) and the Texans’ Defense in Houston’s Reliant Stadium, which ranks number one in total yards allowed.

McGloin has, however, already seen a few NFL snaps. Against the Philadelphia Eagles two weeks ago, when Pryor suffered this knee injury, McGloin was given the opportunity to sling it around some and he went 7-15 for 87 yards. Though his seven completions were futile, given that Philadelphia’s Nick Foles threw an NFL record-tying seven touchdown passes, there were some glimpses of “what could be.” McGloin has definitely earned a chance to play this Sunday. He was promoted over fourth-round draft pick and this week’s backup QB Tyler Wilson (Arkansas) during camp. Then the Raiders felt comfortable enough with McGloin playing behind Pryor that they later bumped him over Matt Flynn (LSU), after seeing Flynn struggle earlier this fall. Flynn was later released.

Clearly coach Dennis Allen feels good about McGloin after promoting him twice and cutting the once-coveted Matt Flynn in order to make him the back up. But Coach Allen isn’t the only one working with a back-up quarterback this weekend. Houston is going with Case Keenum (University of Houston) for the fourth game in a row. In his previous three games, Keenum has thrown seven touchdown passes and zero interceptions. Five of his touchdown passes have been to All-Pro wideout Andre Johnson (Miami). Clearly the two have a connection that the Raiders will have to find a way to stop.

The Raiders and the Texans are in very similar spots. Both have lost star running backs: Darren McFadden (Arkansas) and Arian Foster (Tennessee). Both are playing back-up quarterbacks this weekend. But come Monday who will have one more W? That could be decided more by the defenses than the offenses. As aforementioned, the Watt-led Texans’ Defense is leading the NFL in yards allowed, and are playing at home. But, the Raiders’ Defense has had success this year as well. Foles may have torched them through the air once, but the Eagles rank seventh in the NFL in rushing yards allowed. If Charles Woodson (Michigan) and Tracy Porter (Indiana) can find a way for the secondary to cut the chord between Keenum and Johnson, they may see success against a dinged up Texans’ Offense.

How Oakland Will Win

1. Tracy Porter can lock up Andre Johnson.

Porter has made big plays in the past, most notably his game sealing pick-six off of Peyton Manning in Super Bowl XLIV. Johnson and Keenum are clearly on the same wave length, but if Porter can disrupt their connection, Houston could be in trouble.

2. McGloin gets it going.

If Matt McGloin can find wideout Denarius Moore (Tennessee) before Watt and the pass rush get to him, he may be able to carve up the Houston secondary. Moore leads the Raiders with four receiving touchdowns, and Houston’s Defense has given up 15 passing TDs while only intercepting four passes.

3. Rashad Jennings has a good day

Note that he doesn’t have to have an “amazing day,” but if Rashad Jennings (Liberty) can get enough rushing yards against the Texans’ front seven to keep them honest, it will make Matt McGloin’s first start a lot easier by slowing down the pass rush.

How Houston Will Win

1. Find Andre Johnson

Johnson has had a resurgence since Keenum starting taking the snaps. Johnson had zero touchdowns in the first six games, but in the last three that Keenum has played in he has five. If the Texans can get an All-Pro type day out of Andre Johnson, especially with Oakland CB DJ Hayden (University of Houston) out, they should come up with the W.

Houston wideout Andre Johnson (10) has caught five touchdowns in his last two starts.
Houston wideout Andre Johnson (10) has caught five touchdowns in his last two starts.

2. Watt has a Big Day.

J.J. Watt has the potential to have a “Big Day” every week, so this is nothing new. But, while a big day from Watt will fluster any quarterback, it could ruin an undrafted rookie’s confidence. If Watt spends a lot of the game on and around McGloin, Houston’s chances are very good.

3. Keenum has a Good Day.

Keenum, a Texas native and University of Houston graduate, is a fan favorite. The stadium goes bananas when he scrambles, improvises, and then throws a strike. After seeing what Foles, another Texas native, did to Oakland, he has to be grinning from ear to ear. He has a couple big plays early and Reliant Stadium will be very loud, something Keenum has fed off of to this point.

Odd fact of the game you’re sure to hear from an informed commentator:

Case Keenum led the University of Houston to a victory in the TicketCity Bowl over, you guessed it, Matt McGloin’s Penn State Nittany Lions. The game was just up I-45 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. In that game, Keenum threw for 532 and 3 TDs, while McGloin was injured in practice just over a week before the game.

Game Facts

Kickoff: 1:00 ET

Temperature: 73°, high humidity (roof is retractable)

Reliant Stadium, Max Capacity 71,500

Surface: Grass